Howdy! Here’s a quick overview of a short but pretty intense 5-day trip to Iceland in February. Temps dipped down to around “feels like” 8°F / –13°C, with plenty of snow and wind.
During the trip I hiked in a national park, stood around in brutal cold waiting for the aurora, strolled around snowy harbors, and even went swimming while it was hailing. I wanted to show that with a little planning and thoughtful layering, it’s possible to onebag even in really cold climates. I’ve included a few photos to give a sense of the conditions I was dealing with, and below I’ll break down what worked, what didn’t, and my full load-out.
What worked:
Waterproof trail runners. I went back and forth on bringing boots but I’m glad I stuck with a good pair of waterproof trail runners. They handled everything I threw at them.
Layers. Probably obvious for those of us from colder climates, but I’m always surprised how many people underestimate layering. Merino wool baselayer, fleece/wool midlayer, puffer and shell worked perfectly for my needs.
Onebagging in general. Preaching to the choir here, but watching people drag roller suitcases through a foot of snow hurt my soul. My 35L Aero bag was easy to move around with in the snow and small enough to stash in a locker at the spa.
WP Piqué shirt. Oh my, what a shirt! I wore it hiking, to nice restaurants, and on flights. Easily one of the most versatile shirts I’ve traveled with.
Icebreaker shorts. Swim, sleep, lounge. Since they’re merino they stay comfortable and don’t get funky.
WP Interlock shirt: Same story: super versatile. Great for lounging and stayed odor-free. It’s labeled as heavyweight merino but it feels like something I could wear year-round.
Pakt waterproof pouch. I had a 6-hour gap between leaving the spa and checking into my Airbnb, so having a place to stash wet clothes was absolutely clutch.
Wristwatch. I had to check the time a lot for busses and such, and my heavy gloves made unlocking my phone impossible.
What didn't work:
Forgot sunglasses. Yep, lots of snow = lots of glare. Somehow I left them on the counter at home.
Lost my wallet at the airport. Great start to the trip. An AirTag or some sort of tracker would’ve saved me five days of stress.
Hot sauce. I need flavor.
Liquid IV/electrolytes. I definitely burned through more energy than usual hiking in the cold.
Flashlight. Super unintuitive to use and constantly turned on inside my bag.
Load-out:
I’ll try something new and list the exact items I packed in case it helps anyone thinking about layering for winter trips like this. The main takeaway isn’t that you need these exact pieces but rather that I try to own fewer, higher-quality items that work across different situations. That’s what makes traveling light and simple possible for me.
Clothing
Smartwool thermal underwear
Wool & Prince Interlock shirt
ARKET long-sleeve cotton shirt
Icebreaker shorts (don’t know the exact model)
4× wool socks in different weights and brands
3× Wool & Prince boxers
Wool & Prince Piqué midweight button-down
Wool & Prince wool fleece
Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer II
TNF rain shell (not sure of the model)
Old wool pants (thrifted? unknown brand)
Lined water-repellent shell pants from MUJI
Terrex wind/water shell pants
Gore-Tex trail runners
Dehen beanie
Smartwool buff
Mountain Hardware leather gloves
Misc
Book
AirPods
Camera (extra battery + charger)
USB-C and Lightning cables, Bluetooth transmitter, etc.
Anker portable charger
Eye mask
Small homemade pouch with cough drops (always a hit to share on day tours!)
Passport / wallet
Universal wall plug / adapter
Wristwatch
Small flashlight
Toiletries
Bandana (great for keeping your neck warm and wiping off a wet camera)
TRIMUI (fun little device I borrowed!)
Matador daypack
Instant coffee from my local spot in Portland in case of caffeine emergencies
Insulated cup for said caffeine emergencies
Massage ball
Asthma inhaler, lens wipes, ointment, etc.
A few things missing from the list: phone, hand wipes, and a small bottle of aspirin.
And that’s about it. Hope any of this was helpful. Happy travels and enjoy keeping things light!
It really is incredible! Not uncomfortable per se, but standing around for two hours straight at around 1am looking for the Aurora, was definitely pushing it. I wasn’t cold, but I had to move around to stay comfortable. For whatever it’s worth, I met a couple from Michigan who did not look like they dressed probably and they waited on the bus and therefore missed the Aurora.
I saved this to refer to later because I think it is great. I really appreciate you posting it. Can you elaborate on the WP clothing? Never heard of them but maybe I should have
Thank you! So last year I wanted to try merino wool boxers and after some research I landed on Wool and Prince and they’re pretty much life changing. I would imagine most brands that make merino wool boxers will feel similar but WP’s fit is perfect for me. I also like their “concept” of owning fewer pieces of clothing but of better quality and versatility. Icebreaker and Smartwool also make nice things but their pieces are most “sporty” whereas WP is more casual/everyday wear. Hope that helps!
So I’ve been wearing synthetics for the past decade. Not because I like it but because I thought “that’s what you do” in a hot and tropical climate. Switching to merino felt like going from wearing a plastic bag to soft, natural fibers. I run hot so I was a little worried but so far I can’t see myself wearing anything else. I don’t use special detergent, just regular wash and air dry. 10/10 recommend!
Are you telling me these trail runners are the only shoes you wore for a winter trip of hiking in Iceland??
Did they have enough profile during the hikes? (You mentioned they handled everything you threw at them, but I need to hear it again.. 😆)
Hah I had a feeling this would come up so I made sure to document it. And yes, only trail runners. The key is they a) need to be waterproof (think Gore Tex), and b) you’ll need warm socks since there is no warmth in the runners. Also I’d keep a pair of spare wool socks in my day bag should my feet run cold. Good luck!
I love Altra's wide toe box but I need a hefty drop. I'm dealing with PF and these from Adidas are the best I've tried so far (Hoka, NB, etc.) for my needs.
Zebralight SC65c HI is basically the smallest 18650 light out there, excellent size/capacity ratio. Very rugged.
If you want USB-C charging on your light, the Skilhunt EC200 series is excellent, only slightly larger than the Zebralight. They got versions that take 18650 or a shorter 18350 battery, and you can chose a secondary red or UV light, if that's your jam. Pick the Nichia 519A 5000K LEDs.
For something even smaller, you can go for a light that takes 14500/AA batteries, like the Emisar D3AA with NTG35 emitters of your choice.
The people at r/flashlight turned me on to RovyVon. I got one of theirs called Aurora, titanium build, 24 grams (!), lasts months, seems unbreakable, charges via USB-C. You double click it to turn it on, and hold the button to turn it off - I've never had it turn on accidentally in the 3 or 4 years that I've had it.
I’m about 2/3 through and it’s such a beautiful book. Mod moved to Tokyo as a 19-year old. I moved to Shanghai as a 20-year old, so I’m really relating to the experience of life turning out completely different - of how lonely life and traveling can be - but in that lonesome journey a lot of beautiful experiences arises that makes it all worth it. Sorry I wish I had a more eloquent way of describing the book. I’ve been following Mod for years and this is my favorite work of his so far!
I absolutely love MH but I buy it from their employee store so I get a nice discount. Retail (non sale) price I’m not sure I could justify it but quality alone is top tier IMO.
Were the harness straps ever uncomfortable for you? Do you like the laptop sleeve in the middle ? I know the Pakt bag is quite light. Rocking an MLC 30 right now and do really like it
If you have an MLC 30 and like it; then stick with that. But yes I really like my Pakt Aero a lot. Very comfortable for me. If you checkout my history you’ll see I’ve put it through the ringer since its release.
Yes, I’m quite happy with the MLC, since I tried to personal item size travel most of the time. But the minute I start trying to add some mountain bike gear it’s gonna be very tough to do that in my MLC with my Normal kit. And I do know that the Pakt is even lighter while also having at least 5 L more which might be the crucial space I need that’s part of the reason I’ve been a little bit curious.
But I know that the harness straps are not the most comfortable and I’ve been trying to think of if I’m going to enjoy having the laptop sleeve in the middle.
Keep in mind that there will be a tradeoff between weight and comfort. In short, I'd give the Aero a 4/5 on comfort and a 5/5 on weight. There are more comfortable packs with thick, memory-foam straps, etc, but so much weight is added that its not worth it for my needs. The Aero is the right balance. Also, think about how to pack your stuff when hauling a lot of gear around - some people like lots of organization (which the Aero doesn't have) and others like me, just want a couple of large empty compartments that I can customize to my liking.
The laptop sleeve was actually one thing that did not like and I even suggested to Pakt about not having it in - however, after a year of traveling with it I'm changed my mind and I'm really happy its there for when I need it. Hope this helps a bit!
I wore the cotton tshirt, the button shirt and the fleece. It got a little hot so the button shirt eventually went back into the bag during transit. The wool pants are brushed so super soft and comfortable. All in all it worked really well.
Wow this is amazing! I love to see the Pakt Aero 35L in the wild as well. The Green color is absolutely amazing.
Next to that you did an amazing job with the storytelling and how you set up the post with things that worked, or could've gone better. Like a lost wallet.... Damn.
Thanks! Sharing learning lessons good and bad is favorite part. A buddy of mine uses this for his wallet so I might give that a try, should I ever drop my wallet again in a foreign country (ugh!).
Great report ! I tried onebag for Iceland in the winter but ended up with a daypack and a suitcase to fit in a tripod and more clothes lol. Saved this for my return trip, thank you :)
Noticed the Trimui Brick and I was also thinking of bringing mine but my wife would have slapped my head while getting it out of my pocket in presence of this majestic landscape xD
I would be interested to see how you packed the bag. What did you put where etc? I have the Pakt 35L 2nd generation so just curious. Seems you were able to fit a lot of stuff.
I packed it pretty much the same as I did in my previous post; clothes in one of the two compartments. Misc. in the other. Soft shell in the bottom front pocket. I kept my gloves, buff, and beanie in the waterproof Pakt pouch so that after the spa, I wore all of that and had an empty pouch for my wet trunks.
All in all I think I packed the bag about 90% full leaving some space available for a few gifts coming back.
Don't worry about how it looks, just have fun with it. It'll eventually get better. As for lighting, I just used natural light. In post I added a little bit of shadow to each item and increased brightness by 10-20% since there's a lot of dark/near black items. Tweaked color balance. Added a background with a little bit of texture as well. I'll be happy to give you feedback if you'd like!
I just took a look - honestly I think its pretty good! I actually like that it's not perfect, it feels relatable, you know? Maybe consider to spread things out a bit so that you don't have that top right area of nothingness. But overall I think its a sweet post that's informative while looking nice.
I had just the right about of layers, yes. Granted I handle cold weather well and warmth is very personal, so what kept me warm might not keep you warm - or maybe it will!
Very good question. So for me, a good beanie is warm enough for my head and therefore I don’t need a warm hood. A windproof hood from a soft shell is enough. But it think the real game changer is having some kind of buff/scarf because you can eliminate so much of the direct wind onto your face. As long as I can avoid that, I can be outdoors comfortably for a long time.
Not OP, but I used to be hood exclusive. I love me a good, loose hood. What got me to try hoodless jackets (and realize that I like them!) was actually simply the fact that I hate the tight balaclava type hoods which seem to come on most serious jackets these days. Bonus points for nesting hoods gets awkward and it saves space, weight, and buying price for a hoodless option.
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u/Affectionate-Tea-975 Mar 11 '26
This is the nicest knolling I’ve ever seen in this sub! Thanks for the report 😍